Mormon Apostle Prescribes Religious Rights to Heal Hurting World

More Good Foundation is licensed under CC BY 2.0
More Good Foundation is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Renlund calls for more tolerance and religious liberties

Elder Dale G. Renlund, a Mormon apostle who is also a renowned cardiologist has prescribed a dose comprising religious rights to cure xenophobia, incivility, and intolerance among a number of other cultural ills. The cardiologist who was known for his highly successful heart transplants before he embraced his calling to The Church of  Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apostleship said religious liberties and religion benefit not only the individuals but also the wider society and is made possible by providing moral conduct codexes. People shed their selfish way and instead become selflessness in their dealings.

Mormon Apostle Prescribes Religious Rights to Heal Hurting World[/tweetthis]

Renlund, who holds a position in LDS's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke in Costa Rica on June 9. He was accompanied by Ruth Lybbert Renlund, his wife. They spoke at the symposium of international religious freedom. Their comments were presented together from two perspectives- Dale's professional background as a physician and Ruth's background as a civil litigation attorney.

Elder Renlund spent many years as a medical researcher devoted to gathering knowledge of how an individual's body tackles a transplanted heart. According to him, medicines are given to suppress a person's immune system so the human body can be cajoled into doing things which the body is not hardwired to do. He said that many of his former patients have thanked him for his professional expertise. He said that these patients enjoy immunological tolerance and have permitted them to accept foreign tissue without any hindrance.

Sister Renlund echoed her husband's points in her own professional way. The former civil litigation attorney said, “A truly civilized, well-functioning society depends on an accepted code of moral conduct that is based on a belief system that teaches that there is something greater than self.” Both the Renlunds urged their audience to assist people so that a better world can be built. This world will be more tolerant, reject any kind of hate speech, and will respect everyone's religious rights. The new world will also denounce any kind of xenophobia. It will also not demonize a religion only as a few of the religion's adherents has done some terrible things.

The Holy Bible's Golden Rule of doing to others what you expect of them doing for you is not found only among Christians. Similar moral codes were found in Jewish, Hindu and Islamic traditions. In his earlier speeches, he said, “bigotry manifests itself, in part, in unwillingness to grant equal freedom of expression."

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